


A Dish Best Served Cold

by Kariszma83



Category: Jem and the Holograms
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-19
Updated: 2015-12-19
Packaged: 2018-05-07 16:01:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5462588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kariszma83/pseuds/Kariszma83
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pizzazz is sick of being underestimated. It's time to take matters into her own hands!</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Dish Best Served Cold

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Luna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luna/gifts).



> For Luna, I hope it fills your heart this Yuletide season. As always thanks to my one and only homeslice, iamtheenemy for the beta. You rock my socks.

Pizzazz woke up to the sound of someone calling her. She sat up and listened,

“Miss Phyllis,” the maid called, “breakfast is ready.”

Pizzazz screamed at the top of her lungs, spitting her words out like daggers, “MY NAME IS PIZZAZZ.”

She rolled over and wrapped her head in one of her Egyptian cotton wrapped Turkish goose down pillows. The maid called back in reply, but Pizzazz didn’t care what the woman had to say about anything. The world worked on her schedule, not the other way around. Pizzazz tried desperately to fall back asleep but she was definitely awake. This was unacceptable. The maid would simply have to be fired for this.

Pizzazz climbed out of bed and sat down at her dressing table, looking into the mirror. As suddenly as she had awoken, it occurred to her what day today was. It was her birthday. It was her 21st birthday to be precise.

She jumped up from her dressing table, excited for whatever her father had planned for her birthday. “He’s probably waiting for me right now, waiting to shower his darling daughter on her special day.”

Pizzazz threw on a robe over her leopard nightie and rushed down the stairs. She burst into the dining room, skidding to a stop on the marble floor.

“I’m here!” she yelled out throwing her arms in the air. No one called anything back, because no one was there.

The maid stepped into the room behind Pizzazz, and she quickly lowered her arms before turning to face the maid. 

“Were you speaking to someone, Miss Phy - Miss Pizzazz?” the maid asked cautiously.

“No, you must be hearing things, you old biddy,” Pizzazz snapped at her and strode to take her seat at the breakfast table. “Where is my father?”

“He has already left for work Miss,” the maid said.

“Did he leave anything for me?” Pizzazz asked.

“No Miss, but I believe he was in a hurry,” she replied.

“Why would you think that?” Pizzazz inquired.

“Well, he was very excited about some new deal,” the maid said.

“With who?” Pizzazz shrieked.

“Well...with Jem and the Holograms,” the maid stuttered quietly, backing away.

Pizzazz tamped down the hurt she felt and let the rage take over instead. She began to scream and throw things for several minutes. She picked up the beautiful china that held her breakfast and smashed it to the ground. The waterford crystal she drank her water from broke a window on the opposite wall. Pizzazz pulled the original Renault from the wall and smashed it over her knee feeling the gratifying surge of satisfaction in the destruction. By the time she was done with her tantrum, the room looked like site of a strange massacre.

“No more Mr. Nice Guy,” Pizzazz hissed. “It's time for me to come out on top!”

***

Later that week, Pizzazz sat in the office of legendary entrepreneur Butch Rivera. This was the one man who made her father shake in his boots. Harvey Gabor and Butch Rivera had been enemies since before Pizzazz could remember, and she knew the venom that took over her father’s voice when he spoke of Rivera. While not a member of the music industry Butch was known to have an interest in exciting endeavors and Pizzazz had given him quite the proposal.

“Let me get this straight, Miss Gabor,” Butch Rivera said, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms in front of him. “You are bringing me an entire album worth of original songs, all written by you, and all extremely good - and you want me to produce them? Why? You have access to a record label you all but control. Why would you need me?”

“Mr. Rivera - Butch,” started Pizzazz, “please don’t worry about my motive. I’ve got a want to prove myself in the music business, and this deal would enable me to do so. It would be mutually beneficial for you as well.”

“How is that, Miss Gabor?” said Rivera.

“In doing this for me, you’ll have one up on my father, and exactly the last place on earth he wants to be is under you.” Pizzazz smiled at him.

“Fair point, Miss Gabor,” smiled back Rivera, “I think we have ourselves a deal.”

***

Several months later, Pizzazz, Roxy and Stormer sat around the pool at Pizzazz’s new mansion. They were all being served drinks and fanned by servants with large ornate fans. One of their groupies was sitting in a chair nearby reading from a newspaper article.

“This stunning group of musicians is best described by their moniker, The Misfits. These talented ladies show off their skills with such a large amount of raw talent that it is unheard of yet don’t really fit the music scene like any other band. They are truly something new and fierce. Led by the and talented songwriter Pizzazz Gabor, this band of misfits has a true ear for what is hot. Winners of this year’s “Best Pop Group of the Year”, “Best New Songwriter”, “Best Dressed”, and “Best Song”, we have no doubt this group will continue to rack up the awards. In fact, their 4 wins managed to edge out Jem and the Holograms, who received nominations in the same categories, but no wins. Their leader, Jem, had no comment. The Misfits led by Pizzazz is rounded out by other members Stormer Phillips and Roxy Pelligrini. No strangers to the music industry, The Misfits left their former manager, Eric Raymond, who they feel mismanaged them. In addition Pizzazz, the daughter of hard-nosed executive Harvey Gabor, turned to his rival Butch Rivera for producing help after being ignored by her father for too long. We here at Music Insider think The Misfits made the right choice. Rock on girls!”

The three Misfits all leaned forward with their glasses and clinked them together, laughing uproariously, life was good for them.

***

Pizzazz laid in bed watching the sky lighten through her window. It was her 22nd birthday, one year since she had made the decision to stop letting Eric and her father hold her back. Success had been amazing. She was finally seen for her brilliance. Her songwriting was lauded. She won awards hand over fist. She was rich, and all from her own talent. She beat Jem and the Holograms at every turn, and she did it without having to stoop to Eric’s low-down tricks.

“I’d love to hear Jem call me ‘trash’ this time,” she sighed. “I’ve shown her who was on top.”

She supposed she had to thank her father for all of this success. If he hadn’t forgotten her birthday last year, none of this would have happened.

“I am happy!” she insisted to the empty room.

Then why did she feel so miserable? Pizzazz climbed out of bed and went over to her desk. On it, her secretary had left a list of messages. She hadn’t read any from this week at all, and they were piling up. She picked them up and began flipping through them. There were the normal request from other celebrities for lunches, dates, parties. There were messages from fans and ex-lovers. Then, there was the small pile from her father and Eric. Pizzazz usually ignored those, but today of all days, she picked them up and leafed through. The notes ranged in tone and message, from those begging and imploring her to speak to either her father or Eric, rude notes calling her ungrateful and short notes that just read, “please call”. Pizzazz dropped them on the table. Maybe it was time to give them another chance, she thought. Maybe they had finally learned to appreciate her. 

Well, in any case tonight was the annual Battle of the Bands and she had a show to prepare for.

***

Later that evening, Pizzazz readied herself to take the stage. She, Stormer and Roxy were as ready as they’d ever be. They had practiced and perfected. They held honors higher than Jem and the Holograms could ever reach. Finally, someone near them called for them to take the stage.

The three girls filed on and began to play the best set of songs they had ever played. Once they finished, Jem and the Holograms took the stage. Pizzazz listened to their set, and really listened, maybe for the first time ever. They had something, she had to admit it. The songs were solid. They were different from the punk vibe of the Misfits and Pizzazz suddenly realized that it wasn’t even fair to compare the two groups. They were just too different.

Pizzazz turned and walked away from the stage to get a glass of water. Bumping into someone, she looked up into the eyes of Eric Raymond. Shocked, she stepped back and sputtered, “Eric - what are you doing here?”

“Why else would I be here, Pizzazz?” Eric said. “I came to see you.”

“I thought I made it clear that I was done letting you rule me, Eric,” snarled Pizzazz.

“You did Pizzazz, and I am so sorry for ever underestimating you. I was so caught up in the game of winning, that I lost sight of you and the girls and your dreams. You’ve proven just how talented you are and I will eat crow forever. Just, please come back to me. We’re not a complete team without each other,” Eric pleaded.

“I am complete just fine on my own,” retorted Pizzazz.

“You’re right,” he responded. “It’s me who needs you. Please Pizzazz.”

Pizzazz stopped to think about it. She knew she was missing something from her seemingly perfect life, and she knew it was Eric, but she didn't want to come off as too eager. She also didn't want to give up all the newfound freedom she had been enjoying.

“Fine,” replied Pizzazz with a smirk on her face, “but you remember who calls the shots from now on.

Pizzazz walked away from Eric, back towards the stage. She stopped when she heard something strange and familiar. On stage Jem and the Holograms were playing a song and it was the song her father used to sing to her when she was little. Pizzazz felt her rage threaten to explode out of her chest. She marched towards the stage, and as she got to the edge of the curtain, she felt someone shove her on to the stage into the bright lights. As she ended up in view of the audience, the music died down and Pizzazz heard Jem begin to speak. Pizzazz shielded her eyes, to get a better look at Jem through the stage lights.

“Pizzazz, we have brought you here tonight to say something important. That we are sorry. I, well, we have misjudged you and your talent. Since you separated yourself from Eric Raymond, you have proven over and over again what a phenom you are, and I was wrong about you. I am not above admitting my mistakes and I was so wrong to ever call you trash. It was I who acted trashy, and it won’t happen again. So, when your father Harvey Gabor approached me to help him apologize in a big way, I jumped up at the chance to make amends. You and I may never be best friends, but I respect you, and your work.”

Jem stepped back and Harvey Gabor entered the stage from the other side and stepped up to the microphone.

“Pizzazz,” he began, “I asked Jem to help me out by playing the song I used to sing to you when you were little. To help remind you that at one time, I was a good father. Maybe, to remind myself too, that I could be a good father again. I am so sorry for the way I’ve acted, and if you give me one more chance, I promise I will never take you for granted again.”

Pizzazz had a range of a million emotions coursing through her mind, but she listened to her heart and it told her that the other missing piece from her success was her father. He may not be perfect, but maybe he was really willing to try to make it work. Pizzazz stepped forward and embraced her father.

She would forgive him and Eric, but she would have the upper hand - now and forever. No one would ever - and she meant ever - underestimate her again.


End file.
